Dynamic local function binding apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A dynamic local function binding apparatus and method are provided. In an application virtualization environment, a terminal may register local services associated with local functions of the terminal, and a remote server may call the serviced local functions to be used while the server is executing an application for the terminal. The local functions may be unique functions of various local devices installed in the terminal. The servicing of the local functions may include creating service descriptions of the functions that are provided by the individual local devices and publishing the service descriptions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/828,726, filed on Jul. 1, 2010, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0121365, filed on Dec. 8, 2009, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The following description relates to an application virtualization technology, and more particularly, to an application virtualization technology in which a terminal may provide local services to servers executing applications for the terminal.

2. Description of the Related Art

Following the development of enhanced network environments, an application virtualization technology has been introduced in which servers store execution codes and data of applications. Clients are permitted access to the servers as they desire to remotely execute a desired application and then receive the results of the execution streamed from the servers. In application virtualization, the execution of applications depends greatly on the server environments. In other words, the virtualized applications use computing resources of servers and use simple input/output resources, such as a mouse inputs, display outputs, and the like, from the computing resources of clients.

Accordingly, when a certain application needs a unique function of a local device installed in a client, such application virtualization is not able to operate. For example, Global Positioning System (GPS)-based applications, such as Android Commando, Android Cab4me, and the like, need to access a GPS module of a client in order for the applications to be executed, however, these applications are limited because they cannot access a GPS module of the client, and instead are only able to access applications of the servers.

SUMMARY

In one general aspect, there is provided a dynamic local function binding apparatus of a remote server, the apparatus including a service list requesting unit configured to request, from a terminal, a local service list including local services associated with local functions of the terminal, in response to the remote server receiving a virtualization application execution request from the terminal, a service extractor configured to receive the local service list from the terminal and extract at least one available local service from the local service list, wherein the extracted local service is to be used by the virtualization application, and a service binder configured to bind the extracted local service with the virtualization application so that the local service and the virtualization application may be executed by the remote server.

The local function may be a function performed by a corresponding local device installed in the terminal, and the local device may be at least one of a camera, a microphone, a temperature sensor, a velocity sensor, an acceleration sensor, a Global Positioning System (GPS) module, a security module, and a biometric module.

The local service list may include service descriptions for the local services associated with the local functions of the terminal.

The service binder may use a loosely-coupled binding between the extracted service and the virtualization application according to a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA).

In another aspect, there is provided a dynamic local function binding apparatus of a terminal, the apparatus including a service list registering unit configured to register a service list of local services associated with local functions of the terminal, and a service list providing unit configured to receive a service list request for the service list from a remote server that executes a virtualization application for the terminal, and configured to provide the service list to the remote server.

The local function may be a function performed by a corresponding local device installed in the terminal, and the local device may be at least one of a camera, a microphone, a temperature sensor, a velocity sensor, an acceleration sensor, a Global Positioning System (GPS) module, a security module, and a biometric module.

The service list may include service descriptions for the local services associated with the local functions of the terminal.

In another aspect, there is provided a dynamic local function binding method including registering, at a terminal, a service list of local services associated with local functions of the terminal, transmitting, from the terminal to a remote server, a virtualization application request that requests the remote server to execute a virtualization application for the terminal, requesting, at the remote server, the registered service from the terminal, providing, at the terminal, the service list to the remote server, receiving, at the remote server, the service list and extracting at least one available local service from the service list, wherein the extracted local service is to be used by the virtualization application, and binding, at the remote server, the extracted local service with the virtualization application so that the local service and the virtualization application may be executed by the remote server.

The local function may be a function performed by a corresponding local device installed in the terminal, and the local device may be at least one of a camera, a microphone, a temperature sensor, a velocity sensor, an acceleration sensor, a Global Positioning System (GPS) module, a security module, and a biometric module.

The service list may include service descriptions for the local services associated with the local functions of the terminal.

The binding of the extracted service with the virtualization application may be based on a loosely-coupled binding according to a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA).

Other features and aspects may be apparent from the following description, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an application virtualization system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a dynamic local function binding apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another example of a dynamic local function binding apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a dynamic local function binding method.

Throughout the drawings and the description, unless otherwise described, the same drawing reference numerals should be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. The relative size and depiction of these elements may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein. Accordingly, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein may be suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. The progression of processing steps and/or operations described is an example; however, the sequence of steps and/or operations is not limited to that set forth herein and may be changed as is known in the art, with the exception of steps and/or operations necessarily occurring in a certain order. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for increased clarity and conciseness.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an application virtualization system.

Referring to FIG. 1, the application virtualization system 100 includes one or more terminals 101, one or more remote servers 102, and a network 103. Application virtualization is a technology in which a remote server 102 stores execution codes and data of applications, and in response to receiving an execution request for one of the applications from a terminal 101 over a network 103, the remote server executes the code and provides the results of the execution to the terminal 101. The application may be, for example, one or more virtualization applications.

In some application virtualization environments, execution of an application may be done in a remote server 102 such that a terminal 101 may function only as an input/output device.

According to various examples described herein, the terminal 101 may services its local functions and provide the terminal's local functions to the remote server 102 so that the remote server 102 may use and execute the terminal's local functions.

The local functions of the terminal 101 may be unique functions of various local devices installed in the terminal 101, for example, a camera, a microphone, a temperature sensor, a velocity sensor, an acceleration sensor, a Global Positioning System (GPS) module, a security module, a biometric module, and the like.

Servicing local functions refers to providing the functions of the local devices of the terminal 101 at a service level. That is, the terminal 101 may provide the remote server 102 with functions of the local devices installed in the terminal 101 and may also provide service descriptions for the functions based on a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA).

The remote server 102 calls a service associated with the local function of the terminal 101 and may use the loosely-coupled binding between the service and the application to execute the application. The loosely-coupled binding may be a communication interface or protocol based on the SOA.

For example, because the local functions of the terminal 101 are provided at a service level, an application being executed in the remote server 102 may be bound to any local functions that are called during runtime.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a dynamic local function binding apparatus. The dynamic local function binding apparatus may be a component of a framework or a service layer included in the terminal 101 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the dynamic local function binding apparatus 200 includes a service list registering unit 201, a service list providing unit 202, and a binding manager 203.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the service list registering unit 201 registers a list of services associated with the local functions of the terminal 101.

Services associated with the local functions may be services that may be provided and performed by a GPS module 211, a camera 212, a microphone 213, and the like, which may be installed in the terminal 101. For example, a GPS service 221 may include a service for receiving GPS coordinates or a service for receiving a current time. A camera service 222 may include a photographing function or a zoom in/out function of the camera 212.

The service list registering unit 201 may register the service list by creating identification information of functions that may be provided by the individual local devices, for example, the GPS module 211, the camera 212 and the microphone 213. Also, the service list registering unit 201 may create service descriptions for the functions and then publish them for a remote server 102 to access.

The service list providing unit 202 provides the services, for example, a camera service 222 and a microphone service 223. The service list providing unit 202 may provide the services in response to receiving a service list request for the GPS service 221, the camera service 222, and the microphone service 223 from the remote server 102. For example, the service list providing unit 202 may service the local functions of the terminal 101, thus providing the local functions in the form of a message.

The binding manager 203 provides access to the remote server 102 to bind the application being executed in the remote server 102 with the provided service.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating another example of a dynamic local function binding apparatus.

The dynamic local function binding apparatus 300 may be a frame work or a service layer installed in the remote server 102 of FIG. 1. As described herein, the remote server 102 may actually include a plurality of remote servers.

Referring to FIG. 3, the dynamic local function binding apparatus 300 includes a service list requesting unit 301, a service extractor 302, and a service binder 303.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the service list requesting unit 301 requests a service list for services associated with the local functions of the terminal 101, in response to an application execution request from the terminal 101. For example, the service list may include identification information of functions that may be provided and performed by the local devices of the terminal 101. The service list may also include service descriptions for the functions, as described above with reference to FIG. 2.

The service extractor 302 receives the service list from the terminal 101 and extracts available services from the service list. For example, the service extractor 302 may interpret a message received from the terminal 101 and extract a service having the same function as that desired by the application being executed.

The service binder 303 binds the extracted service with the application in order to execute the application. In addition, the service binder 303 may include a session manager (not shown) corresponding to the binding manager 203 illustrated in FIG. 2. The session manager 203 may provide connection between the application and the service.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the terminal 101 may service and register its local functions, and the remote server 102 may call the serviced local functions for use while executing an application. Accordingly, an application being executed in the remote server 102 may remotely access the local functions of the terminal 101 in real-time.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a dynamic local function binding method.

Referring to FIG. 4, the terminal 101 may include the dynamic local function binding apparatus 200 described above with reference to FIG. 2, and the remote server 102 may include the dynamic local function binding apparatus 300 described above with reference to FIG. 3. As described herein, the remote server 102 may actually include a plurality of remote servers.

Also, execution codes and data of applications may be stored in the remote server 102. The terminal 101 transmits an execution request for an application and initial setting values to the remote server 102. The remote server 102 executes the corresponding application and transmits the results of the execution to the terminal 101.

In this example, the terminal 101 requests execution of a certain application to the remote controller 102 and the application is a GPS-based application regarding the location of the terminal 101 in operation 401.

In this example, in operation 402 the terminal 101 registers a service list in which the functions of its local devices are represented at a service level. For example, if the terminal 101 includes the GPS module 211 and the camera module 212 (as shown in the example of FIG. 2), the terminal 101 may register a GPS service, for example, a service for receiving GPS coordinates, a service for receiving a current time, and the like. The terminal may register a camera service, for example, a photographing function, a zoom in/out function, and the like. The registration may include a process of creating and/or publishing service descriptions for individual functions.

In response to an application execution request from the terminal 101, in operation 403 the remote server 102 transmits a service list request message to the terminal 101. The service list request message may be a message for requesting a service list for services that are registered in operation 402. In response to receiving the service list request message, in 404 the terminal transmits a service list for the services registered in operation 402 to the remote server 102.

In operation 405, the remote server 102 that has received the service list extracts available services from the service list. For example, the remote server 102 may interpret the service descriptions provided by the terminal 101 to extract a service having the same local function as that that is needed by the application.

For example, if the terminal 101 includes the GPS module 211 and camera module 212, and the application whose execution has been requested is the GPS-based application, the remote server 102 may extract a GPS service from the service list provided by the terminal 101.

The remote server 102 that has extracted an available service binds the application with the extracted service in operation 406 and then transmits a connection request message to the terminal 101 in operation 407. The connection request message may contain information based on and including which service has been extracted.

The terminal 101 that has received the connection request message establishes a transport layer to allow the remote server 102 to use the function of a local device corresponding to the service in 408. In operation 409, in response to receiving the connection request message, the terminal 101 transmits a message to the remoter server 102.

For example, if a GPS-based service is extracted, the terminal 101 may establish a communication channel to enable the remote server 102 and/or the application being executed by the remote server 102 to use the function of the GPS module 211 that is installed in the terminal 101.

In operation 410, the remote server 102 that has received the response message executes the application based on a loosely-coupled binding between the application and the GPS-based service. For example, when the application being executed in the remote server 102 needs coordinate values indicating the location of the terminal 101, the application may acquire the location coordinates of the terminal 101 by controlling the GPS module 221 of the terminal 101 or by receiving location values measured by the GPS module 211.

In operation 411, the remote server 102 transmits the execution results of the application that has been executed based on the loosely-coupled binding, to the terminal 101.

Accordingly, because the local functions of the terminal 101 are provided at a service level, the application being executed in the remote server 102 can use the local functions of the terminal 101.

The terminal described herein is configured to extract local services that are capable of being performed/provided by the terminal. In addition, the terminal can publish the local services such that a server that remotely accesses the terminal can determine the available local services capable of being provided/performed by the terminal. Accordingly, when the server is executing a virtualization application for the terminal, the server may access local services of the terminal that are capable of being performed by the terminal, and the server may use/execute those local services while executing the virtualization application.

As a non-exhaustive illustration only, the terminal device described herein may refer to mobile devices such as a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital camera, a portable game console, an MP3 player, a portable/personal multimedia player (PMP), a handheld e-book, a portable lab-top personal computer (PC), a global positioning system (GPS) navigation, and devices such as a desktop PC, a high definition television (HDTV), an optical disc player, a setup box, and the like, capable of wireless communication or network communication consistent with that disclosed herein.

A computing system or a computer may include a microprocessor that is electrically connected with a bus, a user interface, and a memory controller. It may further include a flash memory device. The flash memory device may store N-bit data via the memory controller. The N-bit data is processed or will be processed by the microprocessor and N may be 1 or an integer greater than 1. Where the computing system or computer is a mobile apparatus, a battery may be additionally provided to supply operation voltage of the computing system or computer.

It should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the computing system or computer may further include an application chipset, a camera image processor (CIS), a mobile Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), and the like. The memory controller and the flash memory device may constitute a solid state drive/disk (SSD) that uses a non-volatile memory to store data.

The methods described above may be recorded, stored, or fixed in one or more computer-readable storage media that includes program instructions to be implemented by a computer to cause a processor to execute or perform the program instructions. The media may also include, alone or in combination with the program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like. Examples of computer-readable storage media include magnetic media, such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD-ROM disks and DVDs; magneto-optical media, such as optical disks; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and perform program instructions, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher level code that may be executed by the computer using an interpreter. The described hardware devices may be configured to act as one or more software modules in order to perform the operations and methods described above, or vice versa. In addition, a computer-readable storage medium may be distributed among computer systems connected through a network and computer-readable codes or program instructions may be stored and executed in a decentralized manner.

A number of examples have been described above. Nevertheless, it should be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic device comprising: a communication module to establish a communication connection; a memory to store an application to be executed at the electronic device, and to store information associated with one or more functions to be provided at an external electronic device, wherein at least one function of the one or more functions is associated with an electrical component of the external electronic device; and a processor configured to: obtain a request to execute the application; identify, in response to the request, the at least one function as associated with the application among the one or more functions to be provided at the external electronic device, based at least in part on the information; execute the application at the electronic device using the at least one function provided at the external electronic device, the executing including controlling, via the communication connection established using the communication module, the electrical component of the external electronic device using the at least one function provided at the external electronic device, the controlling comprising obtaining data using the electrical component in relation with the application, and the executing comprising generating a user interface corresponding to the application including at least part of the data; and transmit, the user interface to the external electronic device such that the at least part of the data is to be displayed at the external electronic device via the user interface.
 2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: transmit at least a portion of content generated in relation with the application based at least in part on the at least one function to the external electronic device.
 3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive the request via the external electronic device.
 4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive the information from the external electronic device in relation with the request.
 5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive an initial value associated with the application from the external electronic device in relation with the request.
 6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more functions comprises the at least one function performed using the electrical component, the electrical component being operatively coupled with the external electronic device.
 7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to: control the electrical component to obtain data to be used in relation with the application.
 8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: establish a connection between the application and the at least one function based at least in part on the request.
 9. An apparatus comprising: an electrical component including a camera or a sensor; a memory to store a service list associated with one or more functions, wherein the electrical component is configured to perform at least one function of the one or more functions; and a processor configured to: receive a service list request from the external electronic device; transmit, in response to the service list request, the service list to the external electronic device, such that the at least one function can be identified by the external electronic device as associated with an application based at least in part on the service list; receive a connection request for the at least one function associated with the application from the external electronic device; and provide, in response to the connection request, the at least one function to the external electronic device to allow the external electronic device to control the electrical component in relation with an execution of the application at the external electronic device.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the electrical component comprises any one or any combination of any two or more of the camera, a microphone, the sensor, a global positioning system module, a security module, and a biometric module.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: transmit a request to execute the application to the electronic device.
 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: transmit an initial value associated with the application to the electronic device in relation with the execution of the application.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: transmit the information to the electronic device based at least in part on receipt of a request for the information from the electronic device.
 14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the information comprises either one or both of function identification information associated with a corresponding one of the one or more functions or function description information associated with a corresponding one of the one or more services.
 15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: present, via a display operatively coupled with the apparatus, at least a portion of content received from the electronic device, the content being generated in relation with the application based at least in part on the at least one function.
 16. A method comprising: receiving, at a first electronic device, from a second electronic device which is external to the first electronic device, a request to execute an application at the first electronic device, the first electronic device including a communication module, a processor, and a memory, the memory storing the application to be executed at the first electronic device and information associated with one or more functions to be provided at the second electronic device, at least one function of the one or more functions associated with an electrical component of the second electronic device; identifying, in response to the request, using the processor included in the first electronic device, based at least in part on the information, the at least one function as associated with the application among the one or more functions to be provided at the second electronic device; executing, using the processor included in the first electronic device, the application using the at least one function provided at the second electronic device, the executing including controlling, via a communication connection established using the communication module, the electrical component of the second electronic device, the controlling comprising obtaining, at the first electronic device from the second electronic device, data using the electrical component in relation with the application, the executing comprising generating, at the first electronic device, a user interface corresponding to the application including at least part of the data; and transmitting, to the second electronic device from the first electronic device, the user interface such that the at least part of the data is to be displayed at the second electronic device via the user interface.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the identifying comprises: receiving information associated with the one or more functions from the second electronic device in relation with the request, the information to be used for the identifying of the at least one function.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the executing comprises: establishing a connection between the application and the at least one function based at least in part on the request.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more functions comprises the at least one function performed using the electrical component, the electrical component being operatively coupled with the second electronic device.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the executing comprises: transmitting content generated in relation with the application based at least in part on the at least one function to the second electronic device such that at least a portion of the content can be presented via a display operatively coupled with the second electronic device. 